


Arms

by purplehippoking



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: AU, Arms, F/M, Hopurai - Freeform, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-03-17 22:30:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3546104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplehippoking/pseuds/purplehippoking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off of Christina Perri's song Arms. Lightning coming to terms with her feelings and her place in the new world. Takes place after LR. AU and a one shot. Adult!Hope/Lightning</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the song Arms by Christina Perri nor do I own any of the characters in this fic
> 
> This is my first Final Fantasy fanfic. I really love the relationship between Hope and Lightning. I love the mutual dependence they have for each other and basically everything about each character. It's been a while since I've written any stories, but here's my first shot at doing some Hopurai 3
> 
> Prepare yourself for the mighty fluff that follows.

It was a normal evening at the Farron apartment. The clock chimed, indicating that it was 6:00pm. Lightning, or Claire as she was known in this new world, dug into her pocket to fetch her phone. A small smile came to her lips. If one didn’t know Lightning (she preferred to be called Lightning by a select few), they would assume that it was just a twitch of her lips.

 

_I never thought that_

_You would be the one to hold my heart_

As if on cue, her phone buzzed. She had received a text:

_“Running a bit late. Picked up some Chinese. Beef broccoli, no steak. Forgive me!”_

It was none other than Hope Estheim. Lightning shook her head with a chuckle. She should have known. He had probably gotten carried away working and had forgotten the time.

 

_But you came around_

_And you knocked me off the ground from the start_

In this world, Hope had been returned to his rightful body. She had grown used to the silver-haired boy and it took some time to adjust to his new height and age. He may have looked different, but he was still the same Hope she’d known centuries before. Another smile came to her lips. Even the thought of him was making her smile. Lightning shook her head to clear her thoughts as she heard a knock on her door.

 

Upon opening the door she was met with two bags of take out and an apologetic Hope. She crossed her arms and leaned on the door frame, feigning anger. “You’re late,” she snorted. “Sorry Light! I lost track of time, we’re making new developments on my research project right now and you know how I get when I’m in the zone…I’m sorry! Forgive me? I come bearing meat!” He finished with a cheeky smile.

 

Light rolled her eyes and took the bags from his out stretched hands. She turned around and walked to the kitchen counter. It had become a sort of routine once they reached the new world; every Friday night, no matter what, the two would meet for a movie night. He was her constant.

 

She could hear his soft footsteps following up behind her. “Come on Light, you forgive me…right?” She heard from behind her.

 

_You put your arms around me_

_And I believe that it’s easier for you to let me go_

_You put your arms around me and I’m home_

She turned around ready to give him a sarcastic retort, but was instead met with a pair of large arms around her and a wide chest in her face. Her retort was instantly muffled and heat raced its way to her cheeks. “I’m not gonna let go until you forgive me.” He said happily into her hair.

 

Lightning sighed. She almost felt guilty at how much she missed him, but she shouldn’t be thinking about things like that. It wasn’t the Lightning Farron way, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like the feeling of those familiar arms around her. It was familiar. It was comfortable.

 

She tilted her face up and away from his chest. “Hope, this is some dangerous ground you’re treading,” she muttered a bit breathlessly. “So you forgive me right?”

 

_How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around_

_I can’t decide if I’ll let you save my life or I’ll drown_

At this point, he knew he had been forgiven. Lightning rolled her eyes and gently pushed him away. “You’re late. Let’s get the movie started.” She reached for the dvd. It was a Lord of the Rings sort of night. In a way it reminded them of their past lives, during the Crystal Age. The bonds they made during that time transpired over the centuries and lifetimes. As much as Lightning hated to admit, she had grown attached to the silver-haired boy, now man.

 

She pressed play and walked over to where Hope was. He had set the food up on a coffee table in front of the couch. She took a seat on the floor next to him and grabbed her box of food.

 

“Oh! Before we start, how about some…” Hope paused as he took out another bag. From that bag he pulled out a couple of bottles of liquor. He wiggled his eyebrows as he shook the glass enticingly towards her. Lightning raised a brow. Hope had never been one to drink. He honestly couldn’t handle his liquor and it was always Lightning who’d rub his back as he unabashedly spilled his guts into the toilet the next morning. Then again, both of them were due to let loose. Working in this world’s military did take a toll on her too.

 

She sighed. “Only if you can keep up with me.”

 

They were a quarter of the way through the movie and completely finished with their meals. The two opted for the couch as Hope popped the second bottle open. He quickly refilled her glass and took a swig of his own. “I think Gandalf is my favorite,” Hope commented.

 

Lightning took a quick glance at him and nodded in acknowledgement. She had her knees drawn up to her chest with the glass snuggled tightly in her hands. “Mmmmm…” Hope had one arm draped around the back of her seat. The former soldier would be lying if she said she wasn’t hyperaware of that arm or of how his shoulder just barely touched her own.

 

She took a large gulp of her own glass to wash away the thoughts that were bubbling up.

 

Hope _wasn’t_ less than a centimeter away from her.

 

He _didn’t_ have his hand dangerously close to her other shoulder.

He was just watching the movie same as her. Not totally distracted by how close their bodies were.

 

_I hope that you see right through my walls_

_I hope that you catch me, ‘cause I’m already falling_

_I’ll never let a love get so close_

_You put your arms around and I’m home_

The movie was nearing its end and it would be a lie if she said she was still sober, if either of them were. They had guzzled through the bottles Hope brought and even went through a bottle of Lightning’s own alcohol stash. The silver haired man currently had his head resting on her shoulder and his hand dangerously close to her thigh. “Y’want s’more?” Her companion slurred as he poked her knee. His head unceremoniously dropping to her lap.

 

The ex-soldier jumped. That single poke sent a jolt of electricity up her thigh and she cautiously turned to the perpetrator.

 

 _That_ was new.

 

She took a moment to look at her friend. To _really_ look at him. At this point she was too intoxicated to care. She started at his hair. It was longer than when he was 14 and certainly more tamed, but it was still the same silver color that she had grown so familiar with. His eyes were closed and he had an idiotic smile on his face.

 

It had been a while since she had seen him so carefree. If it weren’t for the slight shadows under his eyes, one would never even guess his age. He lost the boyish curve and developed a strong jaw of a man. _A man._

 

Lightning always had to remind herself that in this world Hope was older than her and putting those two words in the same sentence, _Hope_ and _man,_ made her stomach do somersaults. She shook her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts and to push down the heat that was rising in her chest. This was Hope she was thinking about. This was the boy she had faced the end of the world with. He was the one that had gotten her through the worst of it. He was her closest friend. Her companion. Her _partner_.

 

_The world is coming down on me and I can’t find a reason to be loved_

_I never wanna leave you but I can’t make you bleed if I’m alone_

She shouldn’t be thinking about these things at all.

 

The feeling of his head on her lap or his hand that was now on her knee. She didn’t deserve to think anything about him if she were honest with herself.

 

She had abandoned him.

 

For centuries.

 

When he needed a mentor, a guide, a friend the most. Hope would constantly remind her that it wasn’t her fault. She had never left him. He had told her that she was always with him. She felt she didn’t deserve this admiration and devotion he had for her.

 

_“ Do you remember when we first met, all those centuries ago? Do you remember what you told me then? Keep your eyes front. I’ll watch the rear.”_

_“ But I didn’t…I couldn’t..”_

_“Oh! But you did! More than you know. As long as you were with me, Light…I didn’t have anything to fear. I’m not scared, not even now. Because you’re here.”_

She shut her eyes tightly. It was ridiculous for her to even be thinking about the past like that. It was another lifetime ago, but she could still remember ever word of that conversation. The weight on her lap was gone. She opened her eyes and was surprised to feel a single tear roll slowly down her cheek, but she was even more surprised to see the sea green eyes that were currently staring intensely into her own.

 

_You put your arms around me_

_And I believe that it’s easier for you to let me go_

 

Her breath caught in her throat. “Hope?” She questioned as she felt his hand cup her cheek. He cleared his throat as he caught himself and opted to wipe the single tear from her cheek.

 

“Gandalf’s death get to ya too?” He murmured into her ear.

 

Just when had his face gotten this close to her own?

 

_I hope that you can see right through my walls_

_I hope that you catch me, ‘cause I’m already falling_

Her mind was screaming at her to stand up and to completely walk away, but the alcohol had dulled her better half. Her face slowly turned to meet his own, head on as her mind screamed at her to stop and better assess the situation. Before she even knew what she was doing, her head and body moving on its own accord, leaning closer and closer to his own.

 

_I’ll never let a love get so close_

Her brain was telling her that it wasn’t too late.

 

She could still turn back. She could feel his breath on her lips. Her eyes darted up to meet his and once those sea green eyes met hers, her mind was muted.

 

_You put your arms around me and I’m home_

She heard the last protest echo through her mind as their lips met.

 

There was no turning back now.

 

His arms came up around her and she could feel the murmur of her name on his lips.

 

When they pulled away moments later, they were both breathless. Her eyes quickly found his and the movie was long forgotten. She took one look into his eyes and could see love and under it, more hidden, fear.  It took her aback. She would never have suspected that Hope, her Hope, if she could even call him hers, could ever look at her like that.

 

Before her brain even had a chance to protest again, her lips were on his in an instant. This time, his name a ghost on her lips.

 

Her hands that were firmly glued to her sides found their way to his chest. She tightly grabbed the fabric, knotted up in her fists. She couldn’t believe what she was doing, but at this moment none of that mattered.

 

All that mattered was she was kissing Hope Estheim and he wasn’t complaining.

 

Ever since they had gotten to the new world. She had begun to see him in a different light, but she always dismissed it as happiness in seeing him alive again and in the right body. It’d be a lie to say if she wasn’t disappointed in seeing him back in the body she had met him, back in the ark. The years she had been gone, it was true that she never really was gone. She had been watching not only him, but all her friends and family from Valhalla.

 

_I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth_

_And I’ve never opened up_

_I’ve never truly loved_

_‘Till you put your arms around me_

_And I believe that it’s easier for you to let me go_

The second time they pulled away from each other, Hope had gotten up abruptly. He ran a hand through his hair. His face was redder than ever and he was breathless. “Wait…Light. I..are you…I don’t understand,” He finished lamely, thoroughly confused, happy, but confused. He had been waiting centuries to be in this sort of contact with the former soldier, but he had to know if it was the alcohol or something else entirely.

 

Lightning suddenly felt cold. The shirt that was knotted up so tightly in her fists were gone and she opened her eyes and looked towards him. If she wanted to back out. Now was the time. It was the perfect chance to just pass it off as a drunken daze, but Lightning Farron was not a quitter. She stood up and wobbled a bit before she regained her balance. She was less than a foot away from Hope. She lifted her hand up and stared at him with fierce determination.

 

Hope shut his eyes. He was more than prepared for the slap he deserved. He couldn’t believe himself, of how he took advantage of his mentor, like that, sure she was younger than him now but still..What came next surprised him more than ever.

 

Lightning softly flicked him in the head and if Hope had his eyes opened, he’d see the goofy smile on her lips, completely uncharacteristic of the usually stoic woman. “…idiot,” she murmured softly as she began to close the space between them. Only he could make her drop the fortress she had built around herself. Sure she was close to Serah, but she couldn’t be close to her sister in the way she was with Hope.

 

 

_I hope that you see right through my walls_

_I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling_

_I'll never let a love get so close_

_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

 

He opened his eyes slowly and surprised that he wasn’t in pain. He was even more surprised to see Lightning so close to him. “…Light…?” He asked softly.

 

She hesitated, but reminded herself of what she had said to him centuries ago. “…it’s not a question of can or can’t..some things you just do…” she muttered to herself. She tilted her head up, a bit irritated with his height and met his lips with her own.

 

Soon enough, the cold of the apartment was replaced with the warmth of his arms. She could feel a smile tug at his lips.

 

_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

And she knew where she belonged.

 

In his arms, she was home.

 

 

 


End file.
